Fiser, Lubos – Variations on an Unknown Theme for String Quartet by Barenreiter

Lubos Fiser (1935-1999) was one of the most distinctive figures of Czech music in the 20th century and composed the “Variations on an Unknown Theme” in 1976.

The “unknown theme” was a prankish eight-bar theme from Fiser’s student days. In the elation following the home-team win over Canada on 15 March 1959, he made a bet with his colleague Kalach to compose a concert piece for violin and orchestra with the working title “Canada-Rondo”. The whimsical contest was abandoned, but Fiser did not forget the theme and he later created variations on it for his new composition for the Talich Quartet.

The “Variations on an Unknown Theme” have now been published for the first time ever. This edition is based on the autograph of the score which is housed in the Czech Museum of Music in Prague.

– first printed edition
– foreword in three languages (Cz/Ger/Eng)